Extreme Cold Era: Shelter Don't Keep Waste-Chapter 757 - 710: Empire Regent

Outside the Empress's chambers, Perfikot looked at the grand door of the palace, her expression somewhat complicated.

If she could, she wouldn't have come here.

She knew clearly that once she stepped through this door, some things she had always strived to avoid would become reality.

But seeing the disarmed Imperial Guard Knights at the palace entrance, Perfikot knew that things could no longer operate according to her will unless she was willing to do something that neither she nor others wished to see.

"Execute these traitors." Perfikot said, then pushed open the palace door: "Everyone stay outside, I want to speak with Her Majesty the Empress alone."

Entering the palace, it was exceptionally quiet in the absence of the usual bustling maids and court attendants.

The sound of executing the mutinous Imperial Guard Knights outside made this quietness somewhat eerie.

But Perfikot didn't mind; she simply passed through the corridor, arrived at the room where the Empress was, knocked gently, and entered.

"I knew you would come, sit down, little Perfikot." The Empress appeared somewhat weak, but her demeanor remained kind, only greeting Perfikot without any other gesture.

At this moment she was reclining on a sofa chair, a blanket embroidered with the Royal Family's crest covering her lower body.

The room's temperature was somewhat high, but for an elderly person in frail health, it was a necessary measure to sustain life.

"Your Majesty the Empress, I'm truly sorry to let you witness such happenings." Perfikot apologized to the Empress as she sat down before her: "Things spiraled out of my control; I didn't expect those people to dare commit a coup and even imprison you!"

"It's alright, we all know things can't always go as we wish, can they?" The Empress kindly comforted Perfikot, signaling for her to come closer: "It's just that you have a hard time; although Annie has grown, she is still not mature enough, teach her more."

"I will, Your Majesty the Empress." Perfikot felt somewhat sad, she came to the Empress's side and held her withered, frail hand.

"I can no longer see the future of this country, but I know you will lead it to a new place." The Empress seemed a bit rambling, slowly speaking while holding Perfikot's hand, and Perfikot also quietly listened: "Annie is not suitable to lead this country, but her status leaves her no choice unless you are willing to bear this responsibility for her.

But I have already forced you to do something you didn't want to do, I can't force you a second time.

I know what kind of heavy burden you are about to bear, it's not what you want, nor is it what we all wish to see.

You tried to change, but unfortunately, those foolish people let you down.

They ruined everything, and for that, I need to apologize to you; if I could have restrained them better, perhaps your hard work wouldn't have been in vain."

"No need for that, Your Majesty the Empress! Things turning out like this is also due to my lack of foresight." Perfikot knew the Empress was referring to the Royalist Party matter, but she didn't mind it.

Although the Royalist Party's coup indeed took her by surprise and made her very angry, she couldn't say she cared much about it.

Her initial plan was to construct a political framework relatively meeting their expectations of 'democracy and freedom' through the National Assembly and the Cabinet, thereby maintaining the operation of the country in a form most people could accept.

But unfortunately, she thought too highly of some people, believing those guys wouldn't put their desire for power above the destiny and future of the country.

She underestimated people's desires or overestimated some people's political acumen and underestimated their foolishness and incompetence.

This inevitably reminded her of a widely circulated saying from the original world: "You thought the world was ruled by elites, but reality tells you the world is just a giant makeshift troupe."

Initially, Perfikot had some doubts about this, but now...

She could only say that these people didn't even qualify as a makeshift troupe.

They destroyed Perfikot's efforts, forcing her into a position she didn't originally want to be in.

They also compelled her to make a choice, a choice she didn't want to make regarding certain things and outcomes.

"I'm really sorry, please forgive this old woman! Entrusting such a heavy burden onto a girl not yet eighteen, perhaps that's my incompetence?" A wistful expression appeared on the Empress's face as she gently stroked Perfikot's forehead, sighing: "If only you were Annie's daughter, then I could rightfully hand everything over to you!

And you wouldn't have to bear what you shouldn't have to bear now."

"I don't mind, Your Majesty the Empress! This is something I promised you, I will naturally fulfill my promise, making Victory better and Annie Aunt a competent monarch." Perfikot looked at the Empress, sadness welling up in her heart, somewhat uncontrollably, but she still tried to assure the Empress as much as possible.

The Empress nodded gently, seemingly wanting to express more gratitude to Perfikot, but her overly weak body prevented her from making bigger gestures, only pointing to a roll of parchment on the table beside them.

Perfikot reached out and picked it up, seeing the paper already embossed with wax and the royal seal, boldly appointing Perfikot as the Empire's Regent and simultaneously transferring the throne to Eldest Princess Annie.

This was a will, with the Empress's own handwritten signature on it.

"I wanted to give this to you last time, but you didn't want it then, so I didn't insist." Seeing the complex expression on Perfikot's face, the Empress felt deeply guilty, but she continued: "I know carrying this responsibility will be incredibly difficult, but please forgive an old woman and a mother for having to make such a choice for the Empire and Annie."

"It's okay, Your Majesty the Empress, this is something I have already promised." Perfikot hurried to console the Empress, knowing her body was already extremely weak, and at this moment, even if she was unwilling, she had to go along with the Empress.

Besides, for Perfikot, it was something she had already agreed to, so it wasn't reluctant.

"On the contrary, I should be the one apologizing to you! It's my waywardness that tried to change something, which made you go through this incident we both didn't want to see." Perfikot attempted to take the responsibility onto herself.

"No, you also wanted this country to become better, it's just that we both underestimated some people." The Empress smiled, sighed, and then seemed to feel something, finally saying: "This country I'll entrust to..."